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Global Link - AYA Online Newsletter - July 2004
In this issue:
New Student Search Engine
Visit http://www.academicyear.org/students_ask.htm to find a student for your family. No preferences? You can browse all of our student profiles at http://www.academicyear.org/students.htm. Find a student you want more info about? Contact Keli at 800-322-4678 ext. 5164, or e-mail aya.info@aifs.org. Host a Muslim Student on a YES Grant AYA is very proud to be a part of the government sponsored YES (Youth Exchange & Study program) for the second year in a row. The YES program is an innovative high school exchange program funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It was created in the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001, with the goal of increasing public diplomacy throughout the Muslim world. AYA has been awarded a grant to place and supervise 40 students for the 2004-2005 school year from Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, and the Philippines. YES students are fully sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. The students live with host families and engage in activities targeted towards leadership, American society and values, and volunteerism. Upon return to their home country, students apply these leadership skills they gained in the US in ways that benefit their own societies. Academic Year in America is excited to be a part of this prestigious program for the second year in a row. Each YES student we place with an American host family helps play an important part in history. While these students may be the world’s youth today, we are confident that through this program, they will become tomorrow’s leaders. Through this innovative program, we are working to bridge the gaps and differences between the Muslim nations and the US, helping to alleviate the unsympathetic view of the U.S. held in some Muslim countries today. Academic Year in America is working hard to find wonderful host families for our YES students. We would love to share more of this program’s information with you, and perhaps discuss hosting possibilities in your own communities. Please visit www.yesprograms.org for more information on the YES program. To view current YES student profiles, please visit www.academicyear.org/students.htm “We
know that, in our own small way, we are helping to create peace
in the world.” July’s edition of Country Spotlight brings you to the wonderful country of Chile. A nation that is slightly larger than the great state of Texas, Chile accounts for an approximate 2,672 miles of South America’s western coastline. Compare this length to an average width of only an approximate 112 miles, and you’ll see that Chile’s geographic makeup is certainly a unique one! As a result of this expansive north-south reach, Chile’s landscape and climate differ dramatically from the north to the south. The climates in Chile range from arid desert in the north to temperate climates in the central and southern regions. Within this beautiful country, one can find deserts, forests, the Andes Mountains, volcanoes, lakes and a variety of other landscapes. The Peruvian Incas were the first explorers to head into Chile’s countryside during the mid-15th century. In 1810 Chile began its fight for independence against Spain, and continued with battles throughout most of the 19th century. For the majority of the 20th century, Chileans focused on promoting economic growth and addressing social problems. Finally in 1994, there was a democratic election of Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, who shifted the nation’s attention to increase social spending for education and antipoverty measures. Chile’s population is an approximate 15.3 million people, and continues to grow annually. Nearly one out of every three Chileans lives in the Santiago metropolitan area, and less than 15 percent of the nation’s population lives in rural areas. Estimates show that about 95 percent of Chileans come from either a European or mixed European-indigenous descent, with only 3 percent of the population purely indigenous. Spanish, or Castellano, is the official language in Chile, and the religious makeup of the Chilean body is primarily Christian. To learn more about Chile’s great culture and traditions, why not host one of our wonderful Chilean students in your home? Perhaps you would have the chance to visit your student in the future, and marvel at the wonders of this fabulous country. Please visit our student profile link at www.academicyear.org/students.htm to consider hosting one of our Chilean students. Contact Keli at 800-322-4678 ext. 5164, or e-mail aya.info@aifs.org for more information about becoming a Host Family to any of our students. Join our Local Coordinator Team
Find out how you can change the world with us! Contact Keli at 800-322-4678 ext. 5164, or e-mail aya.info@aifs.org. To download the Local Coordinator application, click here: http://www.academicyear.org/lcapp.htm. AYA Quick Links
Spread the News! If you are excited about what you have seen in The Global Link, please share it with your friends. Or send us their name and e-mail address, and we’ll put them on our e-mail list. Write to Keli Rising at aya.info@aifs.org with “The Global Link” in the subject line to subscribe. AMERICAN
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Families
interested in hosting a student with Academic Year in America now
have an easier way to find their perfect match. A new search engine
on the AYA website allows potential hosts to search for students
by gender, country, length of stay, and interests. 
Local
Coordinators help to make the magic of the international exchange
happen for students and families. Since our founding in 1967 by
Senator Robert Kennedy, AYA has grown to over 300 people working
to increase cultural understanding in communities around our country.
As an “LC”, you can earn many types of incentives, including
a trip to Dublin, Ireland in November! As a non-profit organization,
AYA believes in giving back to those who make the program run.